Question

Acetonitrile to Acetone

Hint:

Nitrile + Grignard reagent → Ketone (after hydrolysis).

Answer 1

Concept: Nitriles can be converted to ketones using
Grignard reagent followed by hydrolysis.
Step 1: Reaction with Grignard reagent. Treat acetonitrile with methyl magnesium bromide: \[ CH_3CN + CH_3MgBr \rightarrow (CH_3)_2C=NMgBr \]
Step 2: Hydrolysis. On acidic hydrolysis: \[ (CH_3)_2C=NMgBr \xrightarrow{H_3O^+} (CH_3)_2CO \]
Final Conversion: \[ CH_3CN \xrightarrow{CH_3MgBr/H_3O^+} \text{Acetone} \]